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Research Interests

The saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow Ammodramus caudacutus is a species of national and global conservation concern that is currently receiving conservation attention due to its limited breeding range and vulnerability to sea level rise. Up to half of the global breeding population is estimated to breed in the coastal marshes of southern New England. Despite detailed studies of nesting habitat, our ability to predict this species’ responses to habitat remains deficient. Some evidence suggests that these sparrows may combine social information with their assessment of the physical environment in order to select nesting habitat, yet the way in which birds integrate these types of information has not been studied.

To resolve this uncertainty I am currently investigating how social interactions and cues obtained from conspecifics influence breeding habitat selection in the saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow. My research employs a systematic approach to identify and test the influence of social cues on avian habitat selection behavior, allowing me to distinguish between the confounding effects of the physical environment and social factors. Through experimental manipulations of social cues I am hoping to develop innovative techniques that can be used to facilitate conservation of this and other species of conservation concern. The results of this work will broaden our conceptual understanding of habitat selection behavior and avian distribution patterns, as well as help to advance conservation and restoration science. It will also provide new information on the mechanisms that influence saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow population persistence in the core of the breeding range.